Group items tagged

The UK government has announced plans to update legislation to enable more services and individuals to provide take-home supplies of naloxone - a life-saving opioid overdose antidote - over the next few weeks. Naloxone can immediately reverse the effects of an opioid overdose by reversing breathing difficulties. The medicine can be administered by anyone in an emergency. However, current legislation allows only drug and alcohol treatment services to supply it without a prescription to individuals for future use. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed on Tuesday (14 May) that more professionals, including nurses, paramedics, police officers, probation officers and pharmacy professionals, will be able to supply the medicine without a prescription to save lives. Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins warned that opioid addiction can ruin lives and it accounts for the largest proportion of drug-related deaths across the UK.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched a consultation on the reclassification of codeine linctus to a prescription-only medicine after considering multiple Yellow Card reports for its opioid effects, rather than for its intended use as a cough suppressant. This medication is currently licensed as a pharmacy medicine, which means that it is available to purchase over the counter in pharmacies. If reclassified as a prescription-only medicine, all strengths of codeine linctus will only be available upon presentation of a prescription. Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said: "Codeine linctus is an effective medicine, but as it is an opioid, its misuse and abuse can have major health consequences. Every response received will help us to develop a broader view on whether codeine linctus should be restricted to prescription-only status. We want to hear from members of the public, health professionals and others who would be affected by this potential change so we can make a properly considered decision for the benefit of patients, carers, and healthcare professionals across the UK.

CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain and Controlled Substance Reporting System. Discuss the Opioid crisis history and prescribing trends

CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain and Controlled Substance Reporting System. Discuss the Opioid crisis history and prescribing trends

CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain and Controlled Substance Reporting System. Discuss the Opioid crisis history and prescribing trends

Substance and Opioid Use Disorders is organized by eMedEvents Corporation from May 16, 2022 - May 16, 2023. Process for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)

Scottish community pharmacies will now hold two Naloxone kits, available in either nasal spray or injectable form, essential for reversing opioid overdoses. The Emergency Access Naloxone Scheme, which is backed by £300,000 of Scottish Government funding, began on Monday (30 October). Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Elena Whitham said, "Through our National Mission to reduce drug deaths and harms, we have invested more than £3 million in widening access to Naloxone, including through our emergency services." Witham said this new nationwide service is a welcome addition to existing services. "Police Scotland recently completed a force-wide rollout to 12,500 officers who have used the kits more than 300 times. According to the most recent statistics, 70 per cent of those who are at risk of opioid overdose are being provided with a lifesaving kit," she added. "It provides a substantial increase in life-saving emergency access and I'm grateful to all those in community pharmacies who are supporting our £250 million National Mission to reduce drug deaths," Whitham said.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has backed a new framework from NHS England to reduce inappropriate prescribing of addiction-causing medicines. It believes that the new framework is a positive step towards improving patient care by supporting medicine reviews and shared decision making to help people reduce their use of medicines that are no longer providing much clinical benefit. The society has also welcomed investment in innovative approaches to supporting patients and urged all pharmacists to refer people to such schemes. Director for England at RPS, James Davies said: "Pharmacists are well-placed to help reduce inappropriate prescribing of high strength painkillers such as opioids and other addictive medicines. "Pharmacy teams can also often spot repeat purchases of over the counter medicines by patients so are well placed to intervene and give advice on the management of chronic pain. Whilst opioids can play an important part in helping people with chronic pain there has long been a need for alternative approaches that are safer and more effective for patients.

Customs officials at Mundra port in Gujarat's Kutch district, India, recently seized approximately 6.8 million Tramadol tablets valued at Rs 110 crore (around GBP 10.2 million). The tablets were discovered in two export containers bound for Sierra Leone and Niger in West Africa. Tramadol, an opioid pain medication, was classified as a psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) in 2018 and its export is now restricted. This synthetic opioid drug has gained notoriety in recent times as the "Fighter Drug" after it was reported that ISIS fighters used it to stay awake for long hours, said a PIB release on Monday. It is reportedly in high demand in African nations like Nigeria, Ghana, etc. The Mundra Customs seizure is one of the largest seizures of Tramadol since it was notified under the NDPS Act, said the release.

WBA, Boots parent company revealed the results for its fourth quarter of the financial year, showing three months to August 2023. The reports published on 12 October show the loss of at least $1bn following a net loss of $3.1bn on an annual basis. This marks a decrease compared to a profit of $4.3bn in the previous financial year. The loss was attributed in part to a $5.5 billion after-tax charge related to opioid claims and litigation during the period, as well as the comparison against a $2.5 billion after-tax gain from the company's investments in Village MD and Shields Health Solutions in the same period last year. Ginger Graham, WBA's Interim Chief Executive spoke about the company's performance and its dedication to their customers and patients.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reclassified codeine linctus, a medicine used for the treatment of dry cough, from a pharmacy-only medicine (P) to a prescription-only medicine (POM) owing to the risk of dependence, addiction, and overdose. This implies that the dry cough syrup, which is also known as codeine oral solution, can only be dispensed upon the submission of a prescription at a pharmacy, rather than being accessible over the counter upon request. Patients are cautioned that as an opioid medicine, codeine can be addictive, and the risk of addiction may increase, particularly with prolonged use over an extended period. According to the medicines regulator, codeine is converted into morphine by the liver enzyme CYP2D6. In individuals identified as ultra-rapid metabolizers, this conversion from codeine to morphine occurs at a faster rate than in others. "If you want to stop taking it and have been taking codeine linctus for a long time, then it is important to reduce the amount you take slowly with the help of your prescriber," the agency said in its drug safety update issued on Tuesday, 20 February.

The Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seized a large quantity of suspected illegally traded medicines, including powerful prescription-only medicines, during raids conducted at two residential and two business premises across North Manchester. Officers from the MHRA and Greater Manchester Police carried out searches across two residential addresses in Oldham and Cheetham in the early hours of Wednesday (29 November), and arrested a man in his 20s on "suspicion of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, breaches of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 and money laundering." They also seized thousands of illegal medicines from two business addresses in Bury and Miles Platting, including powerful opioid painkillers and antidepressants, as well as unlicensed versions of erectile dysfunction drugs.

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for three tablets- Meptazinol (Meptid) 200mg film-coated tablets, Medroxyprogesterone (Provera) 2.5mg tablets and Lamotrigine 5mg dispersible tablets on Wednesday (15 February). Meptid tablets will remain out of stock until late June 2023. DHSC suggested that an alternative analgesic products including non-opioids remain available. Provera 2.5mg tablets are out of stock until mid-March 2023. "Medroxyprogesterone (Provera) 5mg and 10mg tablets remain available but cannot support an uplift in demand," said DHSC. "Norethisterone 5mg tablets remain available and will be able to support an increase in demand." Branded lamotrigine (Lamictal) 2mg and 5mg dispersible remain available but are unable to support the increase in demand as Lamotrigine 5mg dispersible tablets are out of stock until late March 2023.

Georgia Composite Medical Board Mandatory Topic Course Bundle for Physicians. This Bundle helps you attain your state-required mandatory topic CME credits

PAFP Spring Family Medicine Essentials Summit is organized by the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians and will be held from Apr 05 - 06, 2024. Spring Family Medicine Essentials CME Summit - 7+ patient safety credits, including state-mandated opioid and child abuse